This invention relates to articles for cleaning the interproximal surfaces of the teeth and more particularly to dental floss and dental tape with fluoride incorporated therein and capable of delivering fluoride onto the tooth enamel.
It has been shown that tooth decay and dental disease can be attributed to bacterial action resulting from the formation of plaque about the teeth and/or the entrapment of food particles between the teeth and interstices therebetween. The removal of plaque and entrapped food particles reduces caries, reduces the tendency towards gingivitis, and reduces mouth odor as well as generally improving oral hygiene. Conventional brushing of the teeth has been found to be unsatisfactory to effect the removal of entrapped food particles from some crevices between the teeth and/or to effectively remove the plaque by which the bacteria adheres to the teeth. To supplement brushing, various materials have been used to clean the interproximal spaces and surfaces of the teeth, for example, dental floss and dental tape. It is to be understood that the use of the term "dental floss" hereinafter encompasses dental tape as well as any similar article.
The prior art recognizes fluorides as superior agents used in proper oral hygiene for the control of dental caries. Various dentifrices and rinses have been used as carriers to deliver fluoride to the tooth enamel surface. A dentifrice containing fluoride, even with proper brushing, cannot remove plaque or debris from within the interproximal spaces between teeth. Consequently brushing with such a dentifrice cannot be effective to cause significant attachment of fluoride ions to interproximal spaces. Similarly, rinses cannot remove plaque from interproximal areas and consequently are inadequate carriers to deliver fluoride ions to interproximal tooth enamel. Since a dental floss is able to penetrate the interproximal space between teeth, it does remove extraneous material therefrom, and, if impregnated with a source of fluoride soluble in the oral fluids, will deposit fluoride ions in oral fluids for incorporation of same into tooth enamel including incorporation into interproximal tooth enamel.
The prior art also explored the possibilities of incorporating a fluoride source into various waxes which then were coated on a dental floss. The use of wax-coated dental flosses are especially preferred by individuals having tightly contacting teeth since the wax coating renders lubrication to the floss and provides for easier manipulation of same between tightly contacting teeth. Notwithstanding the beneficial attributes, fluoride-containing, wax-coated dental flosses have a major disadvantage. Namely, the wax is impervious to, and not readily soluble in oral fluids and the length of time of the application is insufficient for the wax to release its charge of fluoride during the brief exposure to the oral fluids.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a wax-coated dental floss which is subsequently coated with a polymeric material that includes a source of fluoride. The polymeric material used must be capable of rapidly releasing fluoride in an aqueous environment.
The present invention also provides a dental floss having impregnated thereon biologically-active fluoride that is incorporable into human tooth enamel.
The invention further provides methods of manufacture of such dental floss.